Childhood Sweethearts
by Starlight Disaster
Summary: Sarah is facing another miserable Christmas without her mother when a boy with a candycane shows up. A boy called Jareth. Little does she know that this is the beginning of an adventure from which there is no turning back.
1. Candycane Magic

**DISCLAIMER: **I own nothing, not the Labyrinth, nor Jareth (bugger), nor Sarah nor... anything really. This entire fic is inspired by the brilliant picture "Sure did treat me nice" by Saniika on deviantart. 

**NOTES OF AN AUTHORESS: **This is written because the picture is brilliant and very, very cute. Pure, twee, fluffy, sugary mush.

* * *

The house was Victorian, an old country house surrounded by woodland and meadows in the heart of Northumberland. It was the sort of house that you read about in books, not a fairytale house but definitely the sort of house where magic might take place. The sort of house where you might find fairies lurking at the bottom of the garden or another world in a wardrobe. It was, in short, sheer paradise for a little girl who adored fairy stories. 

It was winter, a few days off Christmas and the ground was covered in a blanket of snow. The sky was covered in grey cloud that promised more blizzards and the wind was bitterly cold as it swept through the leafless trees and danced through the fields smothered in snow.

The house had a vast garden, most of which was ornamental flowerbeds and finely-pruned shrubs that, in spring, would fill the air with the heady scent of roses and other exotic flowers. Now though all the plants were hidden away in greenhouses, carefully tended by the elderly gardener to ensure that they would last til the weather warmed. The only plant life left were a few leafless apple trees and the evergreen pine trees, strung with fairy lights that would switch on when dark fell. The paths were neatly cleared but the little girl, dressed in her red woollen coat and hat, a splash of colour in the monochrome landscape, ignored them preferring to wade through the ankle deep snow. 

Her face was flushed red from the cold and her coat was covered in snow from making snow angels where her disapproving grandmother couldn't see her. She skipped through the snow, enjoying the satisfying crunch her wellies made as they sank through the frozen crust and every now and then she turned to look at the footprints she had left.Christmas! She felt like she could burst from the excitement, only a few more days! A few more days and she could be tearing the wrapping paper from gifts bought by her doting father and mother, stuffing her face with chocolate and seeing her mother! 

The simple joy of seeing her mother was something that happened only rarely; since her parents separation her mother traveled far and wide following her work. It was a brilliant treat to not only see her mother but to spend Christmas in the glorious house owned by her paternal grandparents. She was too young to see the friction between her fathers side of the family; well off, prim and proper and her mother whom they all saw as flighty and irresponsible.

No, all that would come later; for now the child was ecstatic and innocent, playing her imaginary games in a world of magic and make-believe where anything can happen and nothing is as it seems.

Her father leaned out of the door and called her inside, luring her in from the cold with promises of hot-chocolate and marshmallows. Willingly she scampered into the warmth but something made her turn and look behind her. 

For in the skeletal branches of the apple tree perched a snow-white barn owl. 

* * *

"Sarah honey," Sarah looked up from her hot chocolate as her father put the phone down and looked at her with worried eyes. Sarah met his disturbed, grey gaze with her own sparkling green one and smiled.

"How's Mummy?"She enquired, all bright-eyed and Bambi like. "When'll she be here?"

"Sarah," her father said again, the word a sigh as he pulled out the chair next to Sarah and sat down, putting a comforting hand on her knee. "Your Mummy can't be here.Her job's taking longer than she thought and she can't fly here. She says she's very sorry but..."

He never finished the sentence as Sarah pushed him away, tears brimming in her eyes.Jumping off the chair she sobbed in seven-year-old-frustration. "I don't care! She's never here! Why did she even leave? It's not fair! It's not fair!" 

Her voice broke and fled in tears, bolting up the stairs to her room where she slammed the door behind her and slid down in it, crying her eyes out. She hugged her knees to her chest and buried her head in her arms as she rocked back and forth. After a little while there was a knock at the door followed by her father's tentative voice. "Sarah, we can still have a nice Christmas with Grandma and Grandad." 

"No!"Sarah screamed as she stood up and wheeled around, facing the closed door. "Just go away! I hate you! Go away!" She waited until she heard his footsteps on the stairs before hurling herself on the bed and burying her face in the pillow. "Someone save me! Someone take me away from this awful place," she wept.

Finally, when her throat was raw from crying and her tears soaked the pillow she wiped her nose on the back of her hand and opened the door. Miserably, dragging her feet and still sniffling she made her way back down the stairs and into the hallway. She was about to push open the door to the sitting room when she heard her father's laugh and granddad's chuckle. She could hear the TV blaring and lowered her hand as fresh tears welled up. They were having fun without her! They didn't care! 

With a strangled sob she turned away and sat down by the under-the-stairs cupboard, closing her eyes as she got ready to cry again. Suddenly there was a swirl of wind and a tinkle, like little silver bells before a concerned voice asked. 

"Are you all right?" Shocked, Sarah leapt to her feet as she saw a boy, a boy who hadn't been there two seconds before. He looked about her age but taller, with a mop of blonde hair and mis-matched eyes. He was dressed really strangely, like someone going to a fancy dress party. He was wearing a lacy white shirt and a midnight-blue jacket with a red sash and purple trousers. Leather boots up to his knees and grey gloves completed the ensemble. He looked so ridiculous Sarah almost giggled.

At her amused expression the boy tipped his head on one side quizzically and Sarah saw that he was wearing _make up._This pushed her over the edge and she lifted a hand to her mouth to hide her trill of laughter.

"Who are you?" asked Sarah, her fear and her sadness forgotten. 

He seemed annoyed that she was laughing at him. "Who are you?" he shot back. 

"Sarah," she replied, a broad grin now stretched across her face."What's your name?"

"Jareth." He replied, narrowing his eyes at her. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing," she replied before dissolving into a fit of giggles. His eyes narrowed to slits which had the unfortunate effect of making him look like an angry clown. This, of course made Sarah laugh even harder. 

"Stop that!" He snapped. With some difficulty Sarah got a hold on herself and although the smile remained on her face she no longer laughed. "Jareth," she mused. "Strange name." There was a pause and the sounds of the television and the burble of adult conversation drifted in from the sitting room.

"No it's not," he replied, pouting like a spoiled child. "It's a good name. I like it."

Sarah waved a hand dismissively. "How'd you get in here anyway?" She asked.

The other child grinned broadly, almost wolfishly. "Magic," he said as if he were stating a simple fact. 

Sarah's eyes widened but she hid her astonishment with a snort of disbelief. "No such thing as magic." She said with as much cynicism as she could muster but unable to hide the wonder in her eyes. 

"Yes there is," replied Jareth irritably.

"Prove it."

"Fine." He lifted a gloved hand and clenched his fist. Sarah waited for the flash of light or the sparkly bits or _anything_. But nothing happened. Jareth examined his fist with great interest before looking at Sarah.

"I'm the King of the Goblin's, y'know," he said conversationally. 

"Yeah right,"snorted Sarah. "You're not even a goblin. And you're too young."

Jareth looked shocked and very offended. "Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not! I'm older than you!"

Sarah folded her arms and gave him a scathing look. "I'm seven-and-a-half," she said and poked her toungue out at him. 

Jareth tutted and folded his arms as well. "Yeah, you're _so _mature."

"How old are you then?" asked Sarah.

Jareth shrugged and extended his arm, opening his fist. "Thought you wanted to see some magic?"

Forgetting all about the age debate, Sarah nodded eagerly. "Yes please!" Jareth grinned and snapped his fingers. Out of nowhere a red-and-white striped candycane appeared which he then offered to her. 

"What is it?" Sarah whispered as shegazed at the candycane, a sparkly sweet that seemed a lot more magical than the dull ones her father bought her. 

Jareth idly tossed it from hand to hand watching with amusement as Sarah's eyes followed it. "It's a candycane," he said as he caught it and held itout to her again. "Nothing more. Do you want it?"

Dumb with excitment and shock, forgetting about the "don't take sweets from strangersespecially if they claim to be the Goblin King" rule, Sarah nodded and reached out for it but Jareth snatched it away. "Hey!" She said, affronted. 

"You don't expect meto just give it away now, do you?"he taunted, holding the candycane just out of her reach. "I want something in return."

"What?" Sarah said angrily.

"A kiss."

Sarah's eyes widened so far she thought they might pop out of her head. "A kiss?" She echoed. He merely nodded. "No way." 

"Fine then." He started to put the candycane in his pocket when Sarah said: "Wait"

He paused and looked at her expectantly. Sarah turned her head and presented her cheek, furrowing her brow angrily. "Make it quick."

Jareth grinned and stepped forwards. Sarah closed her eyes as she felt his finger lift her chin slightly and then his lips brush her cheek just below her eye. Hemoved away andheld out the candycane. "Here you go," he said,a bright smile blazing across his face. Sarah took the sweet and looked at him, uncertain of what to do next. 

"Bye," he said.

"Bye,"she replied. He started tofade but then she called: "Wait!"

He came back into view and patiently waited for her to speak. She fidgeted for a while, twisting the candycane in her hands before she stepped forwards and pecked him on the cheek. "Bye Jareth," she said.

He smiled and this time he really diddisappear, leaving Sarah clutching a candycane wondering what had just happened. Finally shelicked the candycane, wanting to make it last as long as possible as she went into the sitting room to spend Christmas with her family.


	2. Birthday Surprise

**DISCLAIMER: **I own half a mint Kit-Kat, a painkiller and a rather fetching leather bag. I do not own Labyrinth or anything associated with it. And I definitely don't own Jareth's hair. It is the property of seven year old Sarah.

**NOTES OF AN AUTHORESS: **A follow-up to "Sure did treat me nice." since you all seemed to want one. Review now! And I will write more!

* * *

**A Lovely Birthday Surprise**

"Close your eyes and make a wish Sarah!" Sarah screwed up her face in concentration and blew as hard as she could. There was a round of applause from her family and Sarah looked around, beaming.

"What did you wish for Sarah?" her father asked.

"Can't tell you!" Sarah said through a mouthful of the gooey chocolate cake. "If I do it won't come true!" And above every other wish she'd ever made she really did want this one to come true.

Her father smiled with paternal pride and ruffled Sarah's short brown hair, a gesture which earned him a fond smile from his ex-wife Linda. She had come down specially for her daughters birthday and though things were still awkward with her ex-husband they made an effort for Sarah's special day.

Sarah bolted the rest of her cake and jumped up. "Daddy, can I go to my room? I want to play with my new presents." She smiled angelicly, knowing that today of all days she could twist her father around her little finger.

"Of course you can sweetie." Sarah flashed him a dazzling smile of gratitude and bolted upstairs. When she arrived at her bedroom she paused with her hand on the door knob, her heart thudding. Would her wish have come true? Only one way to find out. Taking a deep breath she flung the door open and ran in. And her wish had come true for standing in the middle of her room was a boy, a boy with mis-matched eyes, flyaway hair and the strangest costume she had ever seen.

"Jareth!" Sarah squealed, running across the room and flinging herself at him, wrapping her arms around him in a bone crushing hug. "You came!"

Jareth hugged her back, his grin just as broad as hers. " 'Course I did," he said, as he carefully removed the limpet-like Sarah from him. "Couldn't miss your birthday now, could I?"

Sarah giggled with sheer joy as went to shut the door so her parents wouldn't walk in and ask who the strange boy was in her bedroom. When she turned back round Jareth was rooting through the drawers in her vanity.

"Hey!" she squawked indignantly as he examined the various hair-clips, bobbles and beads that littered her desk. He stopped and looked up, not in the least bit guilty.

"What?" He asked, his face a picture of innocence. Sarah was not fooled and stomped over to him.

"Those are my things! You can't just go touching my things!" She grabbed a plastic necklace out of his hand and jammed it back in the drawer.

"Why did you call me?" Jareth enquired, changing the subject abruptly and throwing Sarah off balance. Why had she called him?

"I wanted to see you," she murmured, suddenly embarresed. There was a pause and then she added. "I really liked that candycane you gave me."

"Thanks!" Jareth grinned and sat down at her chair, a chair that her mother had bought for her when they moved in and that they had painted with little fairies and flowers. It was her favourite piece of furniture, excluding her bed and she didn't like it when other people touched it. So it was a surprise when she found that she really didn't mind Jareth sitting on it. Her gaze flitted from him, to the vanity and finally to his hair. Sarah picked up a brush and smiled wickedly.

"Want to play a game?" She asked innocently.

"Sure," Jareth replied, oblivious to the fact that Sarah was choosing some of her more flowery and more sparkly hairclips and putting them in the pocket of her dress for easy access. "What game?"

"Hairdressers." Sarah stated simply though you would have thought she had said "Axe Murderers" by the look on Jareth's face. He tried to stand but she pushed him back down and started pulling the brush through his birds-nest hair. She thought that it would have been horribly knotty but the brush slid through it easily and when she ran her fingers through it it was as smooth as silk. When she had brushed it she chose a section at random and plaited it, just the way her mother had shown her. At the end of it she secured it with a sparkly pink band and stood back to admire her work. Jareth was twisting around in the seat, trying to see what she was doing. "Sit still!" Sarah said irritably as she put the hairbrush down and began to plait again.

When she had done seven plaits she got bored and started putting in her clips at random; a butterfly here, a sparkly flower there. When she ran out of clips she reached for a felt tip pen but Jareth had turned round and was glaring at her.

"No."

"Bu-"

"Just. No."

Sarah sighed and lowered the felt tip, reaching out and fluffing Jareth's hair up. "You look pretty," she informed him.

"Boys aren't pretty," Jareth sneered, staring at his reflection with contempt.

"You are." Sarah said as she adjusted a butterfly that was coming loose.

Jareth paused and then said, with more than a hint of doubt in his voice. "Really?"

"Really." Sarah assured him with a finality that could not be challenged.

Jareth's sneer changed to a beaming smile as he looked at his reflection proudly. "That's good then."

Sarah nodded and moved back so that he could stand up. He did and turned to face her. "Got something for you," he said. "Birthday present."

"You do?" Sarah squealed, unable to contain her excitement. What would it be? She knew that it would be something very special, he was, after all, the Goblin King.

"I do." He replied and reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out...a book. A simple book, with a red leather cover and gold lettering on the front. It said simply _The Labyrinth_.

"Oh." Sarah said, unable to hide her disapointment. Just a book. She took it and turned it over, her dismay obvious. "Thanks," she said lamely.

But Jareth didn't seem offended, in fact he had the look of one struggling to hide a secret. "It's a magic book," he told her, his eyes alight with excitement. "It's all about me. You'll love it, promise."

Sarah looked at him and opened it carefully, as though it would burn her. "And what they didn't know was that the King of the Goblins was in love with the girl..." She looked up at him, shocked. "Is the girl me? Are you in love with me?"

Jareth chuckled. "It's just a story Sarah." Seeing her crushed look he hurridly continued. "It might be true one day, you never know."

"But you're not in love with me," Sarah pressed, refusing to budge from her point.

"No. You're my friend."

Sarah brightened. "Good!" She reached out and hugged him, enjoying the feel of his fluffy hair against her cheek. She pulled away and clutched the book to her chest, almost reverently.

"I'll take real good care of it!"

"I know you will. That's why I gave it to you."

Sarah beamed with joy. "Do you want to stay for tea?" She asked.

"Can't." Jareth replied simply. "Kingdom to run 'n all. But I'll come visit."

"You better!"

"See you then Sarah."

"Bye Jareth."

And then, in a swirl of glittery wind he was gone.

She was half-way down the stairs when she realized that he'd taken her favourite hair clips with him.


	3. Tragic News

**DISCLAIMER: **I own some blue nail-polish, one pair of jeans and a battery. If you sue you will only get the said three items; I own nothing else.

**NOTES OF AN AUTHORESS: **Another installment where I actually begin to bring in some plot! If you look very carefully, with a magnifying glass you will find it. Now review or I'll get the goblins to make up a song about you! And reviewers get a free, a free...chicken.

* * *

The Goblin King arrived back in his realm in a swirl of glittery smoke. In one stride he shed his little-boy form taking instead his true aspect, the tall and domineering ruler of the Labyrinth, Lord of Dreams and Master of the Wish. He strode across the courtyard, his white cloak fluttering behind him and his mis-matched eyes searching. It was too quiet. Normally the courtyard would be swarming with goblins, haggling and bartering for today it was Market Day; chaos reigned.

But not today.

A black chicken ran across the stone tiles, it's claws clacking and its neck stretched out as though it really did not want to be there and needed to leave as soon as possible. Jareth watched it curiously, wondering where on earth everyone was. He walked on a few steps and distinctively heard someone usher a child inside and slam a door shut. Wha-?

Ah yes, he remembered. Last week Market Day had got so out-of-hand that several very drunk (and stupid) goblins had made up a song about him. A song entitled: "Why-we-hate-the-stupid-glittery-poof-with-the-crappy-hair-and-tight-pants-and-eye-shadow-that-also-happens-to-be-our-king" It had twenty-three verses. After listening to it, white faced with rage Jareth had ordered the culprits tortured and killed, the culprits families thrown in The Bog of Eternal Stench, the culprits chickens plucked and roasted alive and anyone who had looked at the culprits in the street thrown in an oubliette. He had then banned Market Day forever and if anyone was caught selling anything, buying anything or haggling in any way they were to be beheaded for high treason.

That explains everything he thought as he walked up towards his castle. And it also explained why his subjects were hiding from him; he had been in an utterly foul mood for the entire week and had no less than twelve goblins thrown in the Bog, fifteen thrown out the tower window and countless goblins thrown in an oubliette. He couldn't remember why but he seemed to recall that one of them had made the mistake of sneezing in his presence.

But now he wasn't in a bad mood. Now he was, actually, feeling better than he had done in monthes. So where were his goblins? They were supposed to be here to celebrate with him!

As Jareth irritably kicked the chicken and headed for his castle he began to muse one the reason for his good mood and temporary absence: that Sarah girl, now she was really something. She was bright and funny and utterly unafraid of him. He had watched her for a while before approaching her. She was a dreamer and although other children her age thought her strange she didn't seem to care. She played her imaginary games on her own while concerned parents timidly tried to get her to socialize. But for all her magical worlds and games Jareth could tell she was lonely, that she wanted someone her age to confide in about her fantastical creations. So, for the first time in...ever he had taken the form of a human boy to keep her company.

And he had given her the book. Part of him doubted the wisdom of this act, giving a mere child the access to that kind of power. If she said the words...

But Jareth didn't like self doubt so he ignored the niggly little feeling that he might have done something wrong and swept into his throne room like the King he was.

As soon as he entered the various goblins that were there (a lot less than usual) froze, stopped whatever they were doing and _stared. _One or two jaws actually dropped. Jareth stopped looked at them in a mixture of confusion and anger. What was so fascinating?

"What?" he snapped as he strode over to his throne and sat down, feeling disconcerted as the goblins gaze followed him. No-one spoke until one young goblin, unable to contain himself let out a snort of laughter. When he realized what he had done his eyes widened in fear and he opened his mouth to speak but it was too late. Jareth said automatically. "Bog." The goblin disappeared.

His subjects immidietly went back to normal, bustling about and drinking. One started to polish Jareth's boots and another took his cloak for him. But the atmosphere was tense and as Jareth raised a hand to his hair he realized why.

He had forgotten to take the bloody hair clips out.

* * *

"Sarah, this is Karen. She's a friend from work."

The little girl tore her gaze from her patent leather shoes and gave the blond woman in front a brief nod before returning her eyes to the floor.

Her father looked apologetically at the woman and sighed. "Sarah's a little shy around strangers," he offered by means of explanation; the utter truth. Sarah, while bubbly and talkative around people she knew was silent and sullen around strangers. She was happy with her own company, a quality that was worrying in a girl of seven.

"Hello Sarah," Karen said in a voice that was all too bright and cheerful and just a little bit patronizing, bending down to look at the girl in front of her. "How are you?"

"Fine," was the short, sharp reply. She didn't look up from her shoes.

With a sigh Karen straightened up and exchanged a look with Sarah's father.

"Can I go play?" Sarah enquired, her voice hopeful as she looked pleadingly towards her father.

"Yes, of course," her father resigned and watched as his daughter scurried off into the garden, grabbing a book and one of her teddies on the way out. Karen came up behind him and took his hand.

"She's an odd one isn't she Robert?"

"Yes," was his reply as he turned to face her. "But hopefully she'll snap out of it soon. Sometimes I worry about her, all lost in her fairytale world."

"Don't worry. She'll get friends her own age and soon she'll be playing with Barbies, the same as any girl her age."

"I don't know. Sometimes I think she'll keep on dreaming forever."

* * *

"Give me the child. I have fought my way here to the castle, beyond the Goblin City to take back the child that you have stolen. For my power is as strong as yours and my kingdom is as great. You ha-"

"Sarah!" Trilled a high pitched voice from the back door. "Time to come in now sweetheart, your father and I have something to tell you!"

Sarah looked angrily at Karen; ever since she had moved in she had been restricting the amount of time she was allowed to play. She insisted on dragging her to see vapid and boring girls who wore too much pink and never wanted to play her Labyrinth games. They said that goblins were icky and that they should be princesses. Sarah hated them.

She grabbed Lancelot from where she'd left him under the tree, holding him by one well-worn arm. "Coming Karen!" She called as she tucked Labyrinth under one arm and walked slowly towards the door, deliberately dragging her feet.

"Hurry up Sarah!" Karen reprimanded as Sarah finally entered the house, still moving at the pace of an injured snail. "And take those shoes off!" She added when she saw the mud that coated Sarah's footwear. Obidiently Sarah removed the offending shoes and traipsed into the lounge where her father was waiting, a broad smile on his face. Karen went and stood next to him and he put his hand on her shoulder.

"Now Sarah," her father began, looking at Karen with barely-contained excitement. "We have some very exciting news. Karen and I are getting married! The wedding's in a months time; you can be a bridesmaid if you want. Isn't that wonderful?"

Sarah drew in a deep breath and didn't let it out again. She froze, feeling as though her father had stabbed her through the heart, as though her entire being was suddenly turned to ice. Seeing her face her father reached out towards her. "Sarah?"

Time started again and Sarah moved away from him, tears filling her eyes and streaming down her cheeks. "No! You, you, you can't!" She stuttered. "What about Mummy? What about...No!" Sarah turned and fled from the room, bolted up the stairs and ran into her bedroom, slamming the door shut behind her and sliding the bolt across. She hurled herself onto her bed (that _her _mother had bought) and sobbed her sorry heart out until her tears drenched the pillow and her throat ached.


	4. Countdown

**DISCLAIMER: **I. own. nothing.

**NOTES OF AN AUTHORESS: **Sorry for the delay and the very short chapter. But next one will be better! Now remember, reviewers get a free Jareth!

* * *

Spring was in full swing, with daffodils and tulips blossoming in every garden and birds flying in from the south.

_Three weeks, four days, fourteen hours and twenty one minutes._

Sarah watched the clock on her bedside table tick and heard the church tower chime the new hour.

_Three weeks, four days, thirteen hours and twenty-something minutes. _

The wedding was looming closer and closer and although her father did all he could to get Sarah to accept the idea of a new woman in his life Sarah just couldn't grasp it. She had always nurtured a secret hope that her father and mother would get back together and the wedding would stop that possibility for good.

_Three weeks, four days, thirteen hours and fifteen minutes._

The clock ticked and Sarah, tired of moping around in her bedroom, leapt out of bed and ran downstairs, out of the front door and into the spring sunlight. Karen was there, working in the garden wearing a silly wide brimmed straw hat, a pink blouse and a white sweater knotted around her shoulders. Her face was red from the effort of weeding the garden and beads of sweat gleamed on her forehead. Still she smiled at Sarah as she approached who merely glared at her resentfully. "Can I go to the park?" Sarah asked.

"No, sweetie I think that you need to wait for your father to be able to take you."

Sarah shot her soon-to-be-stepmother a hate filled glance and stomped around to the side of the house, out of her range of sight. She got to her usual playing spot and sat down, taking out her battered copy of Labyrinth, settling down to read. But this time the words failed to soothe her as they usually did, this time she was burning with infant rage. How dare she? How dare Karen come into her life, into her home and take her father from her? And more than that, Sarah was old enough to see that since Karen arrived her mother's visits were less frequent.

It was all her fault.

And so, without thinking Sarah jumped to her feet and shoved the book into one of the deep pockets of her red dress. Checking to make sure her stepmother wasn't watching she slipped through a gap in the garden fence and ran for the park.

* * *

It was exhilerating. Sarah revelled in her new-found freedom as she ran through the green park, unfettered by her father and that..._Karen_. She kicked leaves and chased dogs and swung on the swings and played all on her own.

It was _brilliant. _

Finally tiring she ran away from the gatherings of children and parents and ran to the wooded, more secluded area of the park where she sat at the base of a giant oak, reading her book and utterly content with the world.

Then the acorn fell on her head.

Her hand flew to where it had struck and she looked up, expecting to see a squirrel but instead she saw a blond haired boy sitting on one of the higher branches. Sarah stared, open mouthed with shock wondering how on earth he had got up there. "Hello Sarah!" Jareth called down, standing up on the branch, sticking his arms out for balance.

Sarah wheeled around and craned her neck to look at him. "Careful! You'll fall!" She cried, unconsciously echoing the warning that Karen had given her so many times.

"Don't be silly! I don't fall." And with this he rose onto the balls of his feet like a diver and _jumped. _Sarah screamed as he fell, expecting him to splatter on the ground but he didn't. He seemed to fall in slow motion, having plenty of time to do several mid-air somersaults before landing neatly in front of her, a broad, knowing grin on his face.

"Jareth!" Sarah squealed with a nervous giggle. Then suddenly, inexplicaply tears welled up in her eyes and she sobbed out, "You could have died!"

Jareth looked very disconcerted at this and, as Sarah doubled over as more sobs wracked her body he put an arm around her shoulders. "What's going on Sarah?"

"KAREN!" Sarah screamed. "Karen and Daddy are, are getting married!"

"What's wrong with that?" Jareth enquired, bemused.

Sarah wheeled around and shoved him away from her with such force that he almost fell over. "EVERYTHING!" she howled. "Mummy never comes to visit anymore, Daddy never pays me any attention; it's Karen this, Karen that. And Karen! _Karen ruins everything." _She took a few deep breaths to steady herself and continued in a quiet whisper. "She says that I should be with children my own age. She says that it's not healthy that I spend so much time pretending."

"She said that to you?" Jareth asked, his voice low.

Sarah shook her head, turning away from him and hugging herself. "To Daddy. I heard them one night."

Sarah kept her gaze on the grass, fighting back tears as Jareth came and put his arms around her. "There's nothing wrong with pretending Sarah."

"I know. I know."

Then a voice blared out across the park, a frantic and desperate voice. A very familiar voice.

"Sarah? Sarah? Sarah answer me!"

"Daddy?" Sarah called, pulling herself free of Jareth and moving into the sunlight.

"Oh God Sarah, thank heavens you're all right! We were were worried sick." Her father took her hand and led her home.

When she looked back Jareth was gone.


End file.
